The UWI Global Campus Granted Six-Year Reaccreditation by Barbados Accreditation Council

Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal. Friday, October 23, 2026—The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Global Campus has been granted six-year institutional reaccreditation by the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC). This renewed status reaffirms the commitment of the Campus to quality assurance and the continuous improvement of its operations and services.

The six-year reaccreditation represents an important achievement for the Campus as it continues to fulfil its mandate of expanding access to higher education across the English-speaking Caribbean. Through its network of locations across the Region and its varied learning opportunities, the Campus remains committed to providing quality education that responds to the needs of learners.

The Certificate of Institutional Accreditation was presented by Dr Richard Ishmael, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Barbados Accreditation Council, to Dr Francis O. Severin, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Global Campus, on October 14, 2026. The presentation marked the successful institutional reaccreditation of the Campus for the period 18 June 2026 to 17 June 2032.

Mrs Lisa Gale, Executive Director, Barbados Accreditation Council, commended The UWI Global Campus for its strong culture of quality and commitment to continuous improvement. She noted that these were evident from the review of the Campus’s Self-Evaluation Report and its successful completion of the reaccreditation process. She acknowledged the challenges encountered during the process. She further noted that the BAC approached its responsibilities with fairness, professionalism and a clear focus on public interest. She added that these qualities were also demonstrated by the team at The UWI Global Campus.

Mrs Gale opined that “The certificate today represents an achievement, but it also carries a continuing responsibility. It is not just that we give the certificate today; as you know, you must continue to do this work over the course of the next six years for this accreditation period. We encourage the Campus to build on its progress and to continue to see the quality in every learner’s experience”. 

On behalf of the BAC’s Board of Directors and staff, Mrs Gale congratulated Dr Severin and The UWI Global Campus on the reaccreditation. She recognised the Campus’s contribution to expanding educational opportunities across the Caribbean and expressed confidence in its continued contribution to the tertiary education sector.

In her remarks, the Honourable Sandra Husbands, Minister of Technological and Vocational Training, Barbados, highlighted the importance of education in transforming society and ensuring that learning opportunities are accessible to all. Minister Husbands noted that “Education has to be top of our priorities as a government, and top of our budget priorities, because if we are going to be able to transform our society, we have to do it through education. … We have to find meaningful ways to encourage upskilling and reskilling … and we have to find ways to ensure that education is accessible to every single person, regardless of their circumstances, their learning styles, their outlook, their background. … I am very, very proud and pleased at what has transpired and taken place with the Global Campus. It opens up opportunity for economic advancement for families, and it changes the lives of families…”. 

Dr Severin explained that the reaccreditation process involved a comprehensive self-assessment to identify institutional strengths and areas for improvement. Guided by The UWI’s quality policy, the Plan, Do, Check, Act, the Campus developed a two-year plan to support the process. He noted that the exercise involved senior management, staff and students, reflecting a collective commitment to strengthening institutional quality and effectiveness.

In accepting the Certificate, Dr Severin expressed his delight and indicated that “We are deeply honoured to receive this institutional reaccreditation certificate from the Barbados Accreditation Council. This recognition affirms the quality of our work, our commitment to our raison d’être, that is, our students, and our enduring commitment to continuous improvement”.

The recommendations arising from the evaluation will guide the Campus’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its operations and services and maintain the standards required for institutional reaccreditation. In addition, it will support its mission of providing accessible, relevant and quality higher education that enhances the educational, professional and developmental aspirations of people throughout the Caribbean and beyond. Ultimately, this recognition highlights that the Campus is truly Regionally Rooted, Globally Relevant.

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In photo (L–R): Mrs Lisa Gale, Executive Director; Dr Richard Ismael, Chair, Board of Directors, BAC, presenting the Certificate of Institutional Accreditation to Dr Francis Severin, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, The UWI Global Campus; with The Honourable Sandra Husbands, Minister of Technological and Vocational Training, Barbados, and Dr Pamela Dottin, Quality Assurance Officer, School for Graduate Studies and Research, The UWI, and Re-Accreditation Coordinator, The UWI Global Campus, sharing in the occasion.